terry57

People convicted and sentenced to jail, go to jail as punishment not for punishment....rehab works more effectively than "hard labour" in that the reoffending rates are lower.

Giving crims hard time only serves to make them even more bitter at the system

Sorry, Mr Burns - but Australia has one of the highest incidences of repeat offenders in the world! Our prison system is failing because we are too soft on prisoners. Actually the problem rests with the judiciary - judges have too many sentencing options and invariably hand down a 'weak' sentence.

Then the crims get it easy in jail. Where is the deterrent ??? Jail for many crims is just 'an occupational hazard.'

Peter

australia is pathetic when it comes to punishing offenders.

the do gooders cry out that offenders are there for reabilitation, not punishment and in the mean time old people are getting bashed , houses broken into regularly, woman raped and murder is all to a common occurance these days.

if you are indiginous, the law is applied even more lightly and every body is jacked off with the magistrates that hand down pathetic lenient sentences.

i work with quite a few ex cops and they have left the force because of a system that is in support of the poor criminal while old people cower in there house to scared to venture out.

i would love to hear the do gooders opinion's once there loved ones have been raped or murdered.

cane the criminals hard, and cane them long i say.

after all is said and done, they will never forget that pain.

so he can boost his ego by writing about it on internet forums.

The whole point of this thread isn't it? Showing off about what kind of work he can turn down.

Turning down a 30 Month Contract in Thailand on a Full expat package to work in Saudi Arabia on a 15 Month contract seems a bit strange, but each to his own.

i think the OP has made it perfectly clear in his many posts on thailand that he does not consider it a very nice place, even though he has a thai wife.

always warning us of the horrors of living here and never a positive post about los.

would much rather be in rome or the middle east but each to there own i say.

he can stay there and all us thai pollyannas can enjoy the mighty los.

i know where id rather be.

anyway its a free world, but i do wonder what his point is asking these questions as he has already made up his mind. ?

so he can boost his ego by writing about it on internet forums.

The whole point of this thread isn't it? Showing off about what kind of work he can turn down.

some people arnt able to enjoy a free life, enough is never enough, and they must work to feed there self worth.

these people work until they are unable to continue or there wife leaves them because they are never around.

they do end up with a considerable fortune, but get limited time to enjoy there wealth and are often not able to so as they know nothing except there work and chasing the almighty dollar.

myself enjoy's the middle path in life, devoting half my life to my work and the other half to my happiness.

i could continue working until im 65 but im going for early retirement at 53 and heading straight to thailand to spend my hard earned money on good times.

im a bit worried as my super will run out by the time im 100.

jezz, hope i croak at 99.

i wonder if the OP ever has time to smell the roses and have some fun.?

a rather serious fellow he is.

Monty Python - I Bet They Won't Play This Song On The Radio

sad song = elton john

I'm actually shocked that an airline would insist on drugging a child and a refusal would then be grounds to turn the plane around to eject those passengers. The degree to which people can take their selfishness is mindboggling.

if we get the story strait tip, it is the childs parents who are being selfish by expecting paying punters to put up with there screaming kid and there is no reason on this earth that we should have to listen to a kid scream for 10 <deleted> hours.

maybe you have a good idea to solve the the problem? sorry times up and i got a brilliant idea.

let them all be together so they can listen to there kids scream and leave us other mortals in peace .

thank you very much.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070712/ap_on_.../toddler_booted

It's to not have to meet people like those.

What do you mean Chany boy?

Incidentally, I wish I had known about Baby Benedryl is it?

Then I would have begged or even paid, the crew to give half a bottle of the bluddy stuff to a kid that howled for 10 of the 12 hrs I was on a Plane coming to LOS recently.....

i feel that planes should have a sound proof section where all the people with young kids should be seated and secluded.

its a disgrace that the majority of paying punters have to be subjected to screaming kids on long haul flights and something must be done about it.

the answer is the bung them all together away from other passengers.

some people dont like this suggestion but no one will convince that i should have to put up with someones elses screaming kid, as it aint my kid is it.

you made the screaming thing, so take responsibility for it.

thank you very much.

Unless I missed it reading the thread, nowhere did I see 'physical attraction'. It is hard for me to believe that would not be near the top of the list for most guys. Of course many other qualities are just as or more important but IMHO if the 'physical attraction' chemistry quality is missing then the girl is a better candidate for just a friendship rather than romance.

Agree - we are initially attracted to the physical quailities - a person could grow on you if your were around them a lot like a work coleagyue or a member of the same social group etc but many studies have shown it the physical attractiveness forst for the majority of peole.

well you could have fooled me mate,

considering how many real ugly farangs are getting around with cracking looking thai girls.

if you were talking about the first world i would agree, but the rules are different here in los as the huge fat wallet seems to out way any respect for physical qualitys.

seems to be the other way around where the uglier the better gets the top job.

look mate, dont ask me why, as its an observation that one cant miss if he spends 5 minutes on any street in los.

thank you very much.

teach them the joy of women

You don't have to teach them to try to <deleted> everything in a skirt. They are already trying that and that is why they become crappy fathers at young age [some of them].

One of our former housekeepers son had to be married at 16 after being caught in the act with a local girl in their village...

got to tell you fellas,

did you guys not chase girls when you were young blokes.? i mean what where you lot doing then.? reading playboy mags in your mommy's back shed and spanking the monkey 24 hours a day as it sure sounds like it.

these young thai guys are doing exactly what young fellas should be doing, and thats chasing as much skirt that is human'ly possibly and i salute them.?

i suspect a lot of jelously on this thread and i wish i was a young fella growing up in los as the thai girls are drop dead gorgeous and other females dont hold a candle to them.

i wish i had a crack at these thai girls when i was a teenager as they are heavenly beingings and god hit the jack pot when he created thai woman.

and i salute you god, as you've done a wonderful job.

thank you very much.

So, your point is that if they suddenly raise the pay, these guards will suddenly improve?

I doubt that very much.

no,,

my point is that they had no chance against exerienced gun man, so why get killed when your wage is nothing?. even if they improved there wages its would still not be enough to pull on these guys and all one has to do is pay the ransom and all is good.

this dude is loaded, so better to pay up instead of some lowly security gaurds taking a bullet for there troubles and as we know, the security gaurds would of got no thanks if they were killed.

i put to you,

would of you been the big hero if confronted with professional killers.?

of course not mate, so what are you going on about .

thank you very much.

thats exactly what i mean soundman.

maybe the security guy was sleeping - as per normal - and only saw the back of them?

Hit the nail on the head there Donna.

Got caught napping or being somewhere else when the abduction went down & has to make an excuse to cover up his ineptness. Still, what an unbelievably dumb excuse.

Cheers.

yes i know it sounds very sussed on behalf of the security guy but i got tell you, if i was a security guy in los getting payed bugger all i dont think id be talking on any masked gun man who as we know dont play games.

i mean those security guys are good for stopping stray soi dogs from getting in and that about all, what more do you people expect.?

pay peanuts and get monkeys, very easily and why should they place there lives on the line for there pathetic monthly salary.?

i bet you lot would not do it.

thank you very much.

its sensational to read all these success story's and to all you guys, i salute you.

i first come here 20 years and knew strait up that one day i would be here full time.

but because of my sensational job and ability to travel here every 5 months, ive hung in there at home building my wealth for a cracking retirement.

think of los everyday im at home and im very close to moving here full time.

3 more years and its all over.

ill be moving strait into a top condo, getting a nice thai girlfriend like you fellas and live happily ever after.

be using bangkok as my base, have a heap of money to live the good life, got a few good friends around the place and will be indulging in my passion for scuba diving and happy times.

the most important thing is to associate with winners and ones a winner himself. avoid people with multiple problems as thats contagous and very depressing.

thank you very much.

crickys, now heres a subject that i love.

i am the man, as im right into my brewing back in perth. coopers dark ale and coopers lager being my absolute favorites. had to give it a miss for a while as i was drinking to much of the stuff.

anyway, when i move to los im bringing my kit with me and ill brew in my aircon condo.

thank you very much.

Yes, I came here to be gay; that's one important way that Thailand is more tolerant. Not permissive or accepting, just tolerant, which sure beats living in Texas unless you live in a gay place like Montrose. They tolerate other religions, more or less. To a degree, they tolerate our foreignness, although their "xenophobia" - call it what you wish - sometimes gets in the way. I'm not saying that Thailand is the most tolerant place in the world, but I like it.

Wait, I forgot one thing: when you teach teenagers, you can be silly. Slapstick, stupid bilingual puns about my pen write and you have a fan, and cleverly adding key and yet when you know it's naughty.

well i aint no gay blade peaceblond, but i truly respect thailand for there tolerance towards the gay community and the third gender of the katoey is an awesome thing to see, as nobody gives a toss when some fella has his best makeup on, high heels, nice dress and huge ear rings.

i mean thats how society should be and let all sorts of people just carry on with there lives.

unfortunatly if you got around like that in australia you would become a victim of some sickos bent mind, so viva la thailand i say and may the katoeys run free for ever.

thank you very much.

Hi everyone,

I hope my topic isn't too pretentious.

Through most of history, people have moved from poor countries to rich countries with hopes of a better life. But now we are seeing the opposite happen -- people from rich countries moving to poorer countries with hopes of a better life.

I am curious about your reasons for moving to Thailand; in particular, what about Thailand did you feel was better than your home country? I'll accept "cheap, easily available p*" if that's your honest answer, but I'm particularly interested in opinions that go a bit beyond that.

In my case, I think some things are better back home -- education, opportunities to make money, road safety, but also I find that Thailand has the upper hand on some quality of life issues. I like how life revolves more around people instead of things, how Thai women are not afraid to touch me (patting me on the arm, linking arms with me), how the bus will wait for you to go to the bathroom, how random people on my street will chat with me, how everyone likes to make jokes all the time, how there is a vibrant street life, eating together with other people, good food available at all hours and of course, the famous Thai smile.

What about you? What do you think is better in Thailand than in your home country? I'd also love to hear the opinions of Thais who have been abroad!

youve just about covered all the reasons why i love the los, but its the people , the street life, the food and the natural beauty of the country that top it of.

some people like to slag of the thai and say that there niceness is just a front, but if one spends alot of time here and mixes with many different thai they will find that the vast majority are a truly decent lot just trying to survive from day to day.

and thank you very much thailand as i love you warts and all.

its just getting harder and harder to go back home to work but a few more years im here full time and to all the naysayers may buddha strike you down.

Well I've never seen staff ever talking to passengers whilst chewing gum but the overall impression is that nobody smiles. This is typical of all of London really especially on the Tube and outside. I expect most of that because I think most Londoner's are generally miserable and I can certainly understand why. But there are simply too many people allowed in that airport who aren't travelling. As for the long lines I'd say it's similar or slightly worse to what I've seen in America. Overall the security experience is generally quicker than those I've experienced in America but I've never had to walk outside the terminal to get to my check in area before. What are you suppose to do if it's raining?

So then is it just Terminal 3 that's like this? I definately want to avoid T3 next time.

T3 is bad at the moment because of reburbishments. T1 and T2 are shit holes that are well over due for reburbishment too. I reckon knocking them down would be a good start, which I understand they will do to T2.

But what you have written above is so true of the UK in general (sorry to my pommy mates). Customer service is poor, they have the attitude that they are doing you a favour rather than you doing them one by giving them a bloody job. This is everywhere, not just the airport and the tube, but shops.

The worst exerpiance I had was being accused of shop lifting at my local boots. I went to buy some things, 1 person serving, 3 gossiping around the counter. I lined about, about 10th in the line, and after 5 minutes got the shits because it moved only two people, so put my stuff on the nearest shelf and left. I got physicaly stopped about 20m down the footpath and accused of stealing. On the way back into the shop I showed this thug where I left the goods, but no off the the manager. This prick searched my bag and found nothing, offered no apology for the false accusation or the poor service so I ripped into him. The clown then had the hide to say he didn't have to put up with personal abuse and that if I continued he would call the police and have me charged. Look around the UK most shops have similar signs. Maybe if the stopped and thought why customers go so pissed off they could solve the problem rather than coming down heavy handed with threats. The UK is an odd place indeed.

Oh one other thing I hate in shops is you go to the local Tesco (Sainsburys where ever) and it seems as if the staff have 'right of way'. In most places staff will avoid getting in the way of customers and give them the right. But no the just barge their trollys through. Then you get to the counter and have to pack your own bag, in Aus in most supermarkets they know how to do it properly, as they scan the put it in the bag. Simple, no double handling no trouble.

And lastly why do poms put up with queues? Everywhere. A queue is just a sign of a business that does not know how to surge to handle the customers. Ie if the queue gets long put extra staff on to cover the surge.

Anyway end rant.

jeessuss,

im so glad i have never been there, have never wanted to go there and never will go there, as it truly sounds like one huge depressing bog hole and no wonder los and australia are full of english punters.

all those people that tell me to stay well away must be right id say.

and that <deleted> airport sounds like it needs blowing up.

sorry mate, but if you were refering to western world i would agree with you but when it comes to los corruption has been here for ever and seems to work just fine. i mean not everybody benefits from it but many do so let it be as you will never stop it.

Well tell that to the victims that were just run over in the bus incident.

Corruption has been in most parts of the world for yonks.Doesn't make it right.In fact,it sucks big time.If more people tried to stop it or refused to pay graft,this would be a much better place for Thai people to live.The problem,is that it is accepted as the norm.I'll never foprget the look on a cops face,when the wife made him write out a ticket for a parking fine.On asking her why she just didn't give the POS THB100 etc,she said "If more people refused these people money,most of the corruption will stop..It hurts our country"

why dont we wait and see what comes out of it.

Thanks Bendix, I was waiting for such a comment.

My photos are exhibiting bias towards areas where farangs would hang out. In most cities you can find bad areas.

Even in Pattaya with all its infrastructure, once you get off the main streets it's like going back 10 years, or like being transported to some poor provincial area.

The general impression I get when driving around on the main streets of PP is that the roads are quite good and they're clean...circa 2006. I can't comment on 'years ago' as I hadn't been there back in 'those' days.

With respect tropo, that's a rather assinine point. Yes, the river is where people hang out but my point is that the slum conditions, unpaved roads loaded with trash, limbless beggars are not in a far distant part of PP. They are to the side of your pictures, behind the nice cafes etc etc.

Anyway, I think this debate has lost it's edge and I have little appetite for it now, cos - frankly - I like PP for its extremes and its wild west frontier feel. I just wouldn't want to live there or do business there.

But, then, I'm deliriously happy here in Thailand, so why would I?

jessuss bendix,

you really are going to send some of these punters into orbit by saying you are deliriously happy here in los, as they hate to hear that.

and just to keep on topic, ive been althrough cambodia and how anybody could say they prefer to live there over los is beyond me, as its a throw back to the stone age. if it was'nt for anchor wat it would be a pissy little back water with an minute amount of visitors and one cant dispute that.

thank you very much.

I hope, that when the day comes, that the corrupt system works against you ,you will be similarly pleased.

yes, well that dont worry me in the least as i know what the deal is and would just pay them off.

you must remember that all a corrupt cop wants is money so it depends on your negotiating skills to what you pay.

jessus mate, cant have it all your own way you know, that the story of life and besides that, there are corrupt cops in every country on this earth.

trust me, as we got our fair share in australia and thats suppost to be a first world country.

Get a room

not unless you are in there with us vic, as bendix is into threesomes.

I love you too terry

thanks a lot bendix, but you cant go anywhere near my back bottom, as im not like that ok.

but there are a few punters on this forum who might take up your offer.

and besides that, i think that one would have to be a total mad man to truly think that canbodia is better than los and you sorted that out as well.

the deal used to be that if you got caught smoking the wacky tobaccy the cops would charge you 50000 baht, or you could go to court. up to you.

its now 60,000 baht if your caught smoking and the cops on koh phangan are the richest in thailand as the full moon party is a cops tea party.

Actually that's not how it works, it's more now. The cops may or may not try to extract an immediate fine from you and if you can pay it and get away that's probably good. If not, you go to jail. They set bail and if someone pays it you get out to wait for your court date (at which time the bail is returned). A girl I know had to pay 50,000b bail. At court they decide your fate- possibilities are a fine, jail time, and deportation. This girl got 55,000b fine for a small bag of weed. She got her bail and passport back without any deportation.

That girl had been on the island a long time though. The tourists in court with her had to pay 100,000b and 200,000b fines, respectively, for a joint each. I don't know how much their bail was.

more info- Narcotics Act of 1979

did not realise that the courts were handing out such stiff penalties for getting caught with a joint, so it goes to prove that corruption is a good thing as the punters that payed the cops 60,000 baht are getting a good deal.

god bless the thai police, as this is how the system works and it works very well, especially for farang that get caught with drugs on the southern islands.

the deal used to be that if you got caught smoking the wacky tobaccy the cops would charge you 50000 baht, or you could go to court. up to you.

its now 60,000 baht if your caught smoking and the cops on koh phangan are the richest in thailand as the full moon party is a cops tea party.

so i suppose its a fair deal is'nt it, as one must pay if they get caught, and many a young farang has got out of a tricky situation by paying the money.

play the game and get caught, you can go free with a bit of spare cash.

thats normal in thailand.

God bless corruption and graft?

You have got to be joking.

sorry mate, but if you were refering to western world i would agree with you but when it comes to los corruption has been here for ever and seems to work just fine. i mean not everybody benefits from it but many do so let it be as you will never stop it.

having lurked in the dark corners of Thai Visa for sometime.

it seems disparate views clash uneccessarily,

i suggest a new forum where like-minded better folks,

many of whom i have read posts from here,

may congregate in harmony and converse civily,

without the distraction of ill-informed comment from english teachers, Isaan farmers, bar owners and dwellers in the dark regions.

perhaps Bendix could moderate and assess applicants CV's.

oh yes,

that would be just fantastic would'nt it. another forum for back slappers and good old boys.

i mean how <deleted> boring is that and we need more of the bendix types to keep a bit of strait shooting, strait forward machine gun replys coming.

jessus, this forum gets slow enough know without having another " i love you to " forum cranked up.

thank you very much.

Found a parking ticket on my window yesterday. Apparently I was parked in one of those areas of odd and even day bans (wan kii / wan koo) and a keen BIB ticketed me whilst I was in the Internet cafe. No sign around but that doesn't surprise me.

OK, fair dos.........400 Baht was the stated fine......not a fortune and first time been done, so can't complain, unlike the monster traffic wardens of Little Britain.

Went round the copshop in town and found the grandly named "Command Centre" where they collect fines. Raised a few eyebrows that they'd caught a farang and that this one could speak Thai "better than Southerners" (cop's words). So I handed over the ticket and 400 Baht with a smile and was gobsmacked when they handed back a 100 baht note with a smile. Whether this reduction was for prompt payment or for me joking with them that they should put some prominent signs up warning the motorist which days were off days for parking, I'm not sure, but I know it wouldn't happen in UK.

One BIB was extremely chatty and friendly (maybe because he sensed a potential future customer for his minibus side-business) and we got on great. So much so that when I left, he said "If we can be for service for anything, just let me know". Was tempted to see if he could rustle up a kilo of weed, but thought best not to push my luck to far......am pretty sure he could have obliged on reflection though.

What a great country!

some people complain about the corrupt police but sometimes the system works extremely well, especially if you are a cool customer.

be calm and polite and most police any where including thailand are mostly nice and understanding

fair comment, but you cant pay them off in australia and its cost you 50$ for a bloody parking ticket.

also theres no way on earth that you will be getting any money back.

actually our parking inspectors are throw backs to the gestapo as they are way more hard core than the cops.

Just came back from a week in London and overall impressions of London were pretty low but generally I always have low expectations when travelling to the UK. But arriving and departing London's Terminal 3 is not a pleasant experience. First you're expected to walk outside to get anywhere and overall it's just dirty and run down. Now granted they are renovating and I look forward to seeing it when it's complete but that area is a high stress area for me. I even saw staff talking to people whilst chewing gum and chastising them for having overweight luggage. When we got to the departure gate there were vending machines in the room but none of them were turned on.

Is it this bad at other London airports? Perhaps I've been out of London for too long and expect too much.

i just love it when the english slag of there own turf, as it just goes to prove that when people tell me never to go there, one of there own come out of the woodwork and confirm it.

thank you very much steffi and i salute you.